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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · toast · swing · pit · date · branch · rule · racket

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pit — in a race
  6. swing — music
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. toast — bread
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — government
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rule — a law
  15. date — the fruit
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a hole
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pit — a fruit stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com